Located in the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the historic village of Bourton-on-the-Water dates back to Neolithic times with over 100 buildings being Grade II listed or higher. The village has an eclectic range of visitor attractions, including The Model Village, Cotswold Motor Museum, Birdland Park and Gardens as well as a Dragonfly Maze, monthly farmers market as well as many tea rooms, an artisan bakery, antiques and craft markets, traditional sweet shop, cycle hire and its very own perfumery. The spa town of Cheltenham is, architecturally, the most complete Regency town in England with a range of shops, cinemas, theatres, restaurants and pubs, it is famous for its horse racing festival in March, culminating in the Gold Cup steeplechase. Oxford, the oldest university city in England and sometimes called The City of Dreaming Spires has an abundance of prestigious attractions, including the 38 colleges of the university (half of which date back before 1600), the oldest university teaching room, the Bodleian Library, Ashmolean and Pitt Rivers Museums, and Botanic Gardens. Stratford-upon-Avon, Bath, Worcester and the waterfront city of Gloucester are also all within easy reach.
